Station-indicator.



A GERGELY.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. l8. I9IZ.

1,189,441. Patented July 4,1916.

. another UNITED STATES PATENT ormon.

ALBERT GERGELY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR3'. WILSMAN', OF TWO RIVERS, WISCONSIN.

STATION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed November 18, 1912. Serial No. 732,108.

T 0 all 20 ham it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT GERGELY, asubject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of Milwaukee, in thecounty of Milwaukee and State of l/Visconsin, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Station-Indicators; and I do herebydeclare'that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical andeffective station indicator for public conveyances, the same beingutilized in connection with indicating street crossings and it isespecially designed for use in connection with either overhead orsurface railways and is also especially adapted for use in connectionwith electrically propelled vehicles of the above character.

With the above object in view the invention consists in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts as set forthhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequentlyclaimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view of a street orstation indicator embodying the features of my invention, the same beingshown applicable to an electrically propelled car having an overheadfeed-wire; Fig. 2 represents a cross-section of the feed-wireillustrating one of a series of contact members with which the feed-wireis provided; Fig. 3, diagrammatic view of a car equipped with anindicator having actuating means that is adapted to be engaged by aseries of tappet-plates or members, which members are disposed at fixeddistances paralleling the track of the vehicle, the said diagramillustrating mechanical means for effecting the desired shiftingmovement of the indicator; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of a form ofindicator together with means for actuating the same.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, 1 and 2 represent rolls which arejournaled in a casing 3 having a front opening therein through whichwhich street names carried by a tape 4 may be observed. The oppositeends of the tape 4 are connected to the rolls 1 and 2, which rolls areloosely mounted upon their respective shafts 5, 6', the said rollscarrying toothed ratchet wheels 6 and 7 that are engaged bypaWls 8, 9,respectively.

These pawls are mounted upon rocker arms 10, 11, which extend inopposite directions from the alined shafts 5 and 6, respectively and areconnected by a spring-controlled link' 12. The lower rocker-arm 11 hassuspended therefrom an armature 13 which is controlled by a magnet 14,the armature being also provided with an apertured ear 16 for connectionto means whereby the actuating mechanism of the rolls can bemechanically controlled.

Asclearly shown in Fig. 4 the nose of the pawl 9 is engaged by a pin 17,whereby said pawl is held out of engagement. with its ratchet-wheel 7there being a similar pin 18 that is adapted to be moved into or out ofthe path of travel of the nose of pawl 8, the said pin in this instancebeing shown moved clear of said pawl.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that when the rocker arm11 is actuated by downward pull, its pawl 9 will travel idly, while thepawl 8 will engage the ratchet 6 and thus rotate the upper roll in thedirection indicated by the arrow whereby the tape 4 which constitutesthe indicating means is moved a predetermined distance to display thename of a street or station opposite the casing aperture. Thus saidmovement can be eifectedintermittently as the case may require.

When the vehicle containing the indicator has reached the end of itsroad the pin 17 is shifted so as to clear the nose of the pawl 9 and thepin 18 moved to a position where it will engage the nose of pawl 8,this'shift being effected by means of buttons 19 and 20 respectively,which project through slots in the casing wall, as best shown inthe'diagram view Fig. 1. Hence it is apparent that after such shift,with each downward movement of the rocker arm 9, the direction of travelof the tape or strip 4 will be re versed for the purpose of indicatingthe streets along the line in their respective order upon the returntrip of the car. Hence it is apparent that by utilizing individualbuttons which are shifted into the path of travel of the pawls, eitheror both of said pawls can be thrown out of engagement whereby the feedof the tape is reversed or entirely stopped. The particular advantage ofthis construction is the provision whereby the indicator mechanism maybe manually thrown out of commission in instances where the car isshifted from its ordinary route in emergencies.

As best shown in the diagram view, Fig. 1, when it is desired to operatethe device electrically the trolley 21 of the car has attached thereto atappet member 22, which member is insulated from said pole and connectedby a wire 22 of the magnet 14, there being a ground wire 23 that is alsoconnected to the magnet and to any metallic c011- venient point of thecar mechanism, whereby a ground is effected. The overhead feedwire 2% inthis instance is provided with a series of tappet-lugs 25 which aredisposed at arbitrary selected points adjacent to the cross streets ofthe system and hence when the car passes under one of said tappet-lugsit is apparent that an electric connection between the said lug andtappet member 22 will be effected to close an electrical circuit,whereby the magnet is energized, actuating the indicator as previouslymentioned. As shown in the diagram I may also provide a resistance 26,through which the current from the feed-wire will travel, and a switch27, whereby the current may be entirely cut off under certainconditions.

When it is desired to operate the indicator mechanism mechanically asshown in the diagram view Fig. 3, I provide a tap pet member in the formof a spring-controlled lever 28, which lever is fulcrumed at anyconvenient point upon the car or its truck. The lower end of the lever28 carries a roller which is adapted to engage a series of tappet lugs29." that are extended upwardly from the road-bed in the path of travelof the roller. The opposite end of the arm of the lever 28 is connectedby a link 29 to the ear 16 of the indicator armature 13. Hence it isapparent that as the car travels in either direction the tappet memberor lever 28 will engage successively the series of lugs 29 that aredisposed in its path and thus mechanically actuate the indicatormechanism in a similar manner to that when the device is underelectrical control. It should also be understood that I may utilizevarious mechanical equivalents in connection with actuating theindicator strip, whereby the same is intermittently moved in synchronismwith the street crossings.

I claim:

An indicating mechanism comprising a casing, a pair of spool shaftsjournaled in the casing, a tape wound on said shafts, arms extended fromthe shafts, means adapted for rocking one of the arms in one directiononly, a link connecting the arms, oppositely toothed ratchet wheelscarried on the shafts, coacting pawls carried by the arms and shiftablestop members engageable with the pawls to hold either or both fromengagement with their respective ratchet wheels whereby successiveactuations of the rocking means may operate to move the tape in eitherdirection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin in thepresence of two witnesses.

ALBERT GERGELY. Witnesses Geo. W. YOUNG, M. E. DOWNEY.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G.

